Dogger Bank Access Road

Overview

Mason Clark Associates were approached by Hitachi Energy because of our local knowledge and links with ERYC to assist with a smooth approval process

They appointed us to deliver the civil engineering and design of Park Lane, the key access route from Shepherd Lane to the Dogger Bank Converter Station. The aim of the project was to upgrade the deteriorated private access road to improve vehicle access to the Dogger Bank Converter station to allow maintenance vehicles access, while meeting East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s (ERYC) bridleway design standards. The road surfacing had to be suitable for both vehicles and horses, maintaining a horse-friendly finish.

Challenges and Solutions

This project presented several challenges:

• Road condition surveys identified that large sections required full reconstruction.
• Right of way restrictions made achieving the required bridleway width (3m) difficult in some sections.
• Pavement design had to address poor ground conditions in farmland, with low CBR values factored into build-up.
• A self-binding gravel surfacing was specified to meet horse-friendly requirements, although cost challenges prompted review of alternatives.
• Careful planning and design enabled technical approvals to be secured from ERYC for both project packages.

MCA's Contribution

We played a crucial role in the project, delivering design solutions for the regulation-compliant infrastructure. Our contributions include:

• We undertook a bulk earthworks analysis to try ensure minimal import/export of material.
• Delivery of a precondition survey, preliminary and detailed design, specification drawings and a Bill of Quantities.
• Design of formal passing places and liaised with subcontractors for topographical, GPR, and ground investigations.
• Technical approvals from ERYC for both the S278 Works and Park Lane Package.

Results

The project was split into two parts:

• S278 Works (connecting Park Lane to Shepherd Lane) and
• Park Lane Bridleway Package

Both design packages have received ERYC approval, paving the way for construction.

The self-binding gravel surface preserves bridleway use while supporting vehicular traffic.

This is part of the UK’s major infrastructure works and ambition of becoming NET Zero.